Saunders, Jennifer 1958- (French and Saunders, a joint pseudonym)

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Saunders, Jennifer 1958- (French and Saunders, a joint pseudonym)

PERSONAL

Full name, Jennifer Jane Saunders; born July 12, 1958, in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England; daughter of R. T. Saunders (in the Royal Air Force); mother, a biology teacher; married Adrian Edmondson (an actor, comedian, and writer), May 11, 1985; children: Ella, Beatrice (Beattie), Freya. Education: Attended Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

Addresses:

Agent—Peters Fraser & Dunlop, Drury House, 34-43 Russell St., London WC2B 5HA, England.

Career:

Actress, comedienne, and writer. Comedy partner of Dawn French as part of the act French and Saunders. Comedienne at various venues. Member of the comedy troupe the Comic Strip. Appeared in advertisements.

Awards, Honors:

Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award, television—light entertainment, 1991, and Royal Television Society Award nomination, best light entertainment, 1992, both with Dawn French, for French and Saunders; Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award (with others), television—situation comedy, 1993, Television Award (with others), best comedy, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1993, Television Award nomination, best light entertainment performance, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1993, British Comedy Award nominations, best comedy actress, 1993 and 1994, Television Award nominations (with others), best comedy, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1995, 1996, and 1997, and other awards, including Royal Television Society awards and International Emmy awards, all for Absolutely Fabulous; declined being named to the Order of the British Empire, 2001; Honorary Rose (with Dawn French), Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival, 2002; named among the fifty funniest acts in British comedy, the Observer, 2003; People's Choice Award, favorite movie villain, 2005, for Shrek 2; Saunders and French were named among the funniest performers in comedy in The Comedians' Comedian poll and television program, 2005.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Cassie, Granny Fuddle, Joyce, Madeleine, and Roxanne, Happy Families, BBC, 1985.

Jennifer Marsh, Girls on Top, Central Television (England), 1985-86.

Various characters, French and Saunders, BBC-2 and BBC, 1987-88, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2004.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab, Absolument fabuleux, Absolutt fabelaktig, Elu taeis uellatusi, Helt hysterisk, Helt hysteriskt, Pusszantlak, dragam!, and Todella upeeta), BBC-2, 1992, BBC, 1994-95, 2001, 2003-2004, also broadcast in other networks in other countries.

Colombine, Let Them Eat Cake, BBC, 1999.

Voice of the rat, The Magician's House, CTV (Canada) and BBC, 1999-2000.

Voice of Sharkadder, Pongwiffy (animated), Independent Television (England), 2002.

Herself, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy (also known as Celebrity Fame Academy), BBC, 2005.

Caroline Martin, Jam and Jerusalem (also known as Catterfield, Clatterford, and Clatterford: Season 1), BBC and BBC America, 2006.

Vivienne Vyle, The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, BBC-2, beginning c. 2007.

Some sources cite an appearance in another series with Dawn French.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

(In archive footage) Various characters, French and Saunders Go to the Movies, BBC, 1995.

The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything, BBC, c. 2000.

Herself, Girls Who Do: Comedy (also known as Dawn French's "Girls Who Do: Comedy"), BBC, 2006.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Jennifer, The Comic Strip, Channel 4 (England), 1981.

An Evening for Nicaragua, 1983.

Herself, Comic Relief (also known as The Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live), BBC, 1986.

Comedians Do It on Stage, Channel 4, 1986.

Herself (audience member), An Audience with Victoria Wood, Independent Television (England), 1988.

Herself, "Live! From London," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1988.

Various characters, The French and Saunders Christmas Special, BBC-2, 1988.

Herself, Hysteria 2!, 1989.

Herself, A Night of Comic Relief 2, BBC, 1989.

Herself, The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball, Arts and Entertainment, 1989.

Dorcas, The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (also known as Beatrix Potter: "The Tale of Little Pig Robinson"), [Great Britain], 1990.

Herself, Comic Relief (also known as Comic Relief 3: The Stonker), BBC, 1991.

Herself, Comic Relief: The Invasion of the Comic Tomatoes, BBC, 1993.

Various characters, French and Saunders Christmas Special (also known as Christmas Special), BBC, 1994.

Herself, Comic Relief: Behind the Nose, BBC, c. 1995.

Host, How to Be Absolutely Fabulous, Comedy Central, 1995.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, The Last Shout (also known as Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout), BBC, 1996, Comedy Central, 1997.

Herself (audience member), An Audience with the Spice Girls, Independent Television, 1997.

Various characters, Titanic, 1998.

Host, Comic Relief: The Record Breaker, BBC, 1999.

Various characters, The Phantom Millennium, 1999.

Various characters, Witless Silence, 1999.

Herself, Night of a Thousand Shows, BBC, 2000.

Herself, The Life and Lyrics of Kirsty MacColl, [Great Britain], 2001.

(In archive footage) Various characters, Night of a Thousand Faces, BBC, 2001.

Various characters, Christmas Puddings, 2002.

Various characters, The Egg, 2002.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Gay (also known as Absolutely Fabulous New York), BBC, 2002, Comedy Central, 2003.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Cold Turkey, BBC, 2003.

J. K. Rowling and Ron Weasley, Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do, BBC, 2003.

Various characters, French and Saunders Actually, BBC, 2003.

Various characters, Harry Potter & the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, 2003.

Herself and Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, The Story of Absolutely Fabulous, BBC, 2004.

(In archive footage) TV's Greatest Sidekicks, Lifetime, 2004.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, White Box (also known as Absolutely Fabulous: White Box), BBC, 2004, Oxygen, 2005.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live 05 (also known as Comic Relief Special), BBC, 2005.

Various characters, French and Saunders: Christmas Celebrity Special (also known as Celebrity Christmas Special), BBC-2, 2005.

Various characters, French and Saunders: I Can't Believe It's Music! (two specials), [Great Britain], 2005.

Voice of herself, The Secret Policeman's Ball (also known as The Secret Policeman's Ball 2006), Channel 4, 2006.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, All the Best from Denis Norden, Independent Television, 2007.

Herself, Comic Relief Does Car Booty, BBC, 2007.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The 10th Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1996.

The Kerrang Awards, 2002.

The British Comedy Awards 2004, 2004.

(As French and Saunders; in archive footage) The Comedians' Comedian, Channel 4 (England), 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Sue, "Interesting," The Young Ones, BBC, 1982.

Various characters, The Comic Strip Presents …, Channel 4 (England), various episodes from 1982-88, BBC-2, various episodes from 1990-93.

Helen Mucus, "Time," The Young Ones, BBC, 1984.

The Lenny Henry Show, BBC, 1984.

Badsister one, "Sapsorrow," The Storyteller (also known as Jim Henson's "The Storyteller"), Channel 4 and NBC, 1988.

Herself, Good Morning Britain (also known as TV-am), Independent Television (England), 1990.

Rita Rudner (also known as The Rita Rudner Comedy Specials), BBC, 1990, Arts and Entertainment, 1991.

Clive Anderson Talks Back, 1991.

Herself, The Full Wax, BBC, multiple episodes in 1991 and 1992.

Lady Hester Stanhope, "Queen of the East," Heroes and Villains (also known as Heroes and Villains: Queen of the East), [Great Britain], 1995.

Herself, Showbiz Today, Cable News Network, 1995.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, "Satan, Darling," Roseanne, ABC, 1996.

Herself, "Double Trouble," Light Lunch, Channel 4 (England), 1997.

Herself, "It's a Bolly Good Show," Light Lunch, Channel 4, 1997.

Andrea Waltham, "The One with Ross's Wedding: Part 2," Friends (also known as Across the Hall, Friends Like Us, Insomnia Cafe, and Six of One), NBC, 1998.

Andrea Waltham, "The One after Ross Says Rachel," Friends (also known as Across the Hall, Friends Like Us, Insomnia Cafe, and Six of One), NBC, 1998.

Helen, "Four Men in a Car," The Comic Strip Presents (also known as The Comic Strip Presents Four Men in a Car), Channel 4, 1998.

Herself, Late Lunch, Channel 4, 1998.

Herself, "Jennifer Saunders as the Barre," Omnibus, BBC, 1999.

Herself, Live & Kicking, BBC, 1999.

Herself, The Priory, Channel 4, 2000.

Herself, TFI Friday (also known as Thank Four It's Friday), Channel 4, 2000.

Herself, Parkinson, BBC, 2000, 2003.

Herself, The Sketch Show Story (also known as Victoria Wood's "Sketch Show Story"), BBC, 2001.

(Uncredited) Herself, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC, 2001.

Herself, The Kumars at No. 42, BBC-2, 2004.

Herself, Later with Jools Holland (also known as A Little Later), BBC, 2004.

(As French and Saunders; in archive footage) "Double Acts," The Story of Light Entertainment, BBC-2, 2006.

Herself, Breakfast, BBC, 2007.

Appeared in other programs, including Saturday Live, Channel 4 (England) and London Weekend Television.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Vivienne Keill, Mirrorball, BBC and BBC America, 2000.

Vivienne Vyle, The Vivienne Vyle Show, BBC-2, 2006.

Some sources work on another series with Dawn French.

Television Work; Series:

(With Dawn French) Creator, French and Saunders, BBC-2 and BBC, 1987-88, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2004.

Creator, Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab, Absolument fabuleux, Absolutt fabelaktig, Elu taeis uellatusi, Helt hysterisk, Helt hysteriskt, Pusszantlak, dragam!, and Todella upeeta), BBC-2, 1992, BBC, 1994-95, 2001, 2003-2004, also broadcast in other networks in other countries.

(With others) Producer, Jam and Jerusalem (also known as Catterfield, Clatterford, and Clatterford: Season 1), BBC and BBC America, 2006.

Television Work; Specials:

Codirector, The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball, Arts and Entertainment, 1989.

Television Work; Pilots:

Worked to develop an American version of Absolutely Fabulous.

Film Appearances:

Lesley Reynolds, The Supergrass (also known as The Comic Strip Presents the Supergrass, Ruohoa, and Supergrass—Unser Mann bei Scotland Yard), Hemdale Releasing, 1985.

Anita Harris, Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger (re-edited television programs), London Weekend Television, 1986.

Lady Caroline, Eat the Rich, Recorded Releasing, 1987, New Line Cinema, 1988.

Voice of fairy, Prince Cinders (animated), Longreturn, 1993.

Nancy Crawford, In the Bleak Midwinter (also known as A Midwinter's Tale), Sony Pictures Classics, 1995.

Mrs. Bluberidge, Muppet Treasure Island, Buena Vista, 1996.

Fashionable woman, Spice World (also known as Five, Five Girls, It's Been a Hard 15 Minutes, Spice Girls, Spice Girls: The Movie, Spice: The Movie, Spice Up Your Life!, and Spiceworld!), Columbia, 1997.

Roanna, Fanny and Elvis, United International Pictures, 1999.

Use spectatrice du defile, Absolument fabuleux (also known as Absolutely Fabulous, Absolumente fabulosas, and Absolumente poderosas), Bac Films, 2001.

Voice of fairy godmother, Shrek 2 (animated), DreamWorks, 2004.

Gwendoline McFarlane, L'entente cordiale, Warner Bros., 2006.

Voice of Miss Forcible, Coraline (animated), Focus Features, 2008.

Stage Appearances:

Louise, Me and Mamie O'Rourke, Strand Theatre (now known as the Novello Theatre), London, 1993-94.

Major Tours:

An Evening with French and Saunders, English cities, 1989.

French & Saunders 2000, English cities, 2000.

Some sources cite an appearance in other tours with Dawn French.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Various characters, French and Saunders Live, 1993.

(Uncredited; in archive footage as Edina "Eddie" Monsoon in music video "Absolutely Fabulous") Pet Shop Boys, Various, Picture Music International, 1995.

Herself, Spice Girls: One Hour of Girl Power (also known as Spice: The Official Video Volume One), Virgin Records/Roadshow Entertainment, 1997.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not!, BBC, 1998.

Edina "Eddie" Monsoon, Absolutely Fabulous: A Life, 1998.

Silurian in sketch, Comic Relief: Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death (also known as Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death), 1999.

Various characters, French and Saunders Live, French & Saunders, 2000.

Herself, Meet the Cast of Shrek 2, DreamWorks Home Entertainment, 2004.

Music Videos:

(In archive footage as Edina "Eddie" Monsoon) Pet Shop Boys, "Absolutely Fabulous" (charity single), c. 1994.

Video Games:

Voice, Fable, Microsoft Studios, 2004.

Albums; with Others:

Various artists, The Comic Strip (also known as The Comic Strip Album), Springtime!/Island Records, 1981.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Series:

(With others) Girls on Top, Central Television (England), 1985-86.

(With Dawn French) French and Saunders, BBC-2 and BBC, 1987-88, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2004.

Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab, Absolument fabuleux, Absolutt fabelaktig, Elu taeis uellatusi, Helt hysterisk, Helt hysteriskt, Pusszantlak, dragam!, and Todella upeeta), BBC-2, 1992, BBC, 1994-95, 2001, 2003-2004, also broadcast in other networks in other countries.

Jam and Jerusalem (also known as Catterfield, Clatterford, and Clatterford: Season 1), BBC and BBC America, 2006.

The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, BBC-2, beginning c. 2007.

Teleplays; Miniseries:

(Archive footage; with others) French and Saunders Go to the Movies, BBC, 1995.

The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything, BBC, c. 2000.

Teleplays; Specials:

The Comic Strip, Channel 4 (England), 1981.

Comic Relief (also known as The Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live), BBC, 1986.

(With Dawn French) The French and Saunders Christmas Special, BBC-2, 1988.

(With French) French and Saunders Christmas Special (also known as Christmas Special), BBC, 1994.

(And idea) The Last Shout (also known as Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout), BBC, 1996, Comedy Central, 1997.

(With French) Titanic, 1998.

(With French) The Phantom Millennium, 1999.

(With French) Witless Silence, 1999.

(With French) Christmas Puddings, 2002.

(With French) The Egg, 2002.

(And idea) Gay (also known as Absolutely Fabulous New York), BBC, 2002, Comedy Central, 2003.

(And idea) Cold Turkey, BBC, 2003.

(With French) French and Saunders Actually, BBC, 2003.

(With French) Harry Potter & the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, 2003.

(And idea) The Story of Absolutely Fabulous, BBC, 2004.

(And idea) White Box (also known as Absolutely Fabulous: White Box), BBC, 2004, Oxygen, 2005.

(With others) Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live 05 (also known as Comic Relief Special), BBC, 2005.

(With French) French and Saunders: Christmas Celebrity Special (also known as Celebrity Christmas Special), BBC-2, 2005.

(With French) French and Saunders: I Can't Believe It's Music! (two specials), [Great Britain], 2005.

Teleplays; Episodic:

"Slags," The Comic Strip Presents (also known as The Comic Strip Presents Slags), Channel 4 (England), 1984.

"Consuela, or, the New Mrs. Saunders," The Comic Strip Presents (also known as The Comic Strip Presents Consuela, or, the New Mrs. Saunders), Channel 4, 1986.

"Satan, Darling," Roseanne, ABC, 1996.